Game reaction: Spurs 100, Blazers 79

This one was road kill from the get go. LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy combine to go 3 for 16? That's a loss. The Spurs only commit four turnovers, which is one fewer than LaMarcus Aldridge had all by himself? That's a loss. That's a loss. Brett Barry, off the bench with just 25 minutes of PT, equals the Blazers' high scorers with 17 points. Matt Bonner outscores three of Portland's starters? You know that's a loss.

When Tim Duncan goes down, as unfortunate as that may be, you expect the Blazers to at least make a game out of it. Wasn't the case. Watching from home, the high point for me was seeing Joel Przybilla mouth "Let's go" to Bruce Bowen (or it might have been Mike Finley) after things started to get chippy in the first half. If you can't beat 'em, you might as well karate chop 'em.

The Blazers suffered their most lopsided defeat of the season Sunday afternoon, a 100-79 spanking by the reigning-champion San Antonio Spurs that left Portland winless on the road this season (0-9) and searching for answers.

"This is the lowest point of the season," Roy said afterward, "definitely the lowest point."

It was so bad that McMillan announced afterward he will examine everything the Blazers (5-12) are doing and seriously consider making wholesale changes -- perhaps as soon as today's game at Memphis but most likely for the long-term future of a season that is spiraling out of control.

[snip]

"I think we are going to change up a little bit going from here," Roy said. "I'm not going to say that I'm going to be the point guard. But I think I'll bring the ball up a little more and kind of get back in the role I was in last year, where I have the ball a little more and try to control the tempo a little more."

Interesting. At this point, I'd try anything if I were Nate McMillan, and getting the ball in the hands of your best player is probably a decent place to start. I always wonder though how the other point guards on the team feel when Roy takes over at their position. If Roy takes over at point guard (before the fourth quarter, that is), does that mean more playing time for Jarrett Jack? Less for Steve Blake? I think we'll find out soon enough.

Duncan and Jones were locked into each other in the high post when both players went jostling for a high lob pass.

As Duncan prepared to go airborne, Jones appeared to give him a slight bump. As he fell to the floor, Duncan's right leg buckled beneath him like a cheap accordion.

Panic and pandemonium ensued.

Michael Finley, thinking Jones was lingering over a prone Duncan a bit too long, gave him a quick shove -- and picked up a technical foul

"It was a little bit of frustration, a little bit of seeing my teammate and good friend down and defenseless," Finley said. "I just took it upon myself to get (Jones) out of the way. He wasn't helping the situation, so get him out of the way."

Duncan stayed down for several minutes, in obvious pain, and eventually required assistance to get to the locker room. He did not return to the bench.

Afterward, Jones said he didn't mean Duncan harm. He said he thought Duncan had slipped on his own.

No team with Bruce Bowen on their roster ever gets to complain about players injuring one another, especially when it was blatantly obvious that James Jones had no intention of doing so.